


A Forever Home

by DoctorLia



Category: John Wick (Movies), Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Light Angst, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-11-02 12:06:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorLia/pseuds/DoctorLia
Summary: A Timeless AU with John Wick.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BattleshipGarcy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BattleshipGarcy/gifts).

> This was supposed to be a quick little fic, but it turned into this. For my dear John Wick loving friend. I hope you enjoy it :)

Garcia was preparing diner when the doorbell rang, followed by three quick, yet loud, knocks. Glancing at the clock on the wall showed it to be only 3pm. Lucy would still be at the University and Iris and Jiya weren’t due till 6. _‘Maybe Lucy had something delivered.’_ He thought as he cleaned his hands on a hand towel and made his way towards the door. He took a quick peak out the window, but the man had his back turned towards the door. _‘Not UPS, then.’_

  
“Can I help you?” Garcia asked as he opened the door.

  
The man turned and smiled. “Garcia Flynn.”

  
Instantly recognizing the man before him Garcia allowed a giant smile to break across his face. “John Wick, as I live and breath.” Garcia reached out and hugged the older man, laughing all the while. “God it’s been years. How have you been?” He pulled away and gestured him inside. “Lucy’s going to be so thrilled when she see’s you!”

  
“I’ve been good.” John smiled and walked inside the house. He took in his surroundings and nodded his approval. “I see the renovating did wonders. This place use to be a shithole.”

  
Garcia chuckled and shook his head, “Don’t I know it. Took a whole year to get this place up and running. Would have taken half the time had I paid someone, but there’s something about fixing a house up by yourself…Anyway, are you back in town? Or just visiting?”

  
“I’ll be back for a while. Not sure if I’d be staying permanently, but maybe some old friends can convince me.” He smiled at the other man before actually taking him in, “Nice…apron.”  
Garcia looked down at himself and noticed the ‘Kiss A Croatian Day’ apron he wore. He gave a chuckle, “Iris’s fathers day gift.”

  
“Cute. How old is Iris now? 11?”

  
“15.” Garcia said with a soft look.

  
John gave a low whistle, “Damn, time flies. She should be driving soon, yeah?”

  
Garcia gave a low groan and covered his face with one hand, “Don’t remind me…I’m sure she’s talking Jiya’s ear off right now trying to convince her to let her drive her car.”

  
“How is Jiya? And Rufus?” Garcia motioned for John to take a seat on the couch and he did so. “He marry her yet?”

  
“They are both great. They aren’t married, but I think that’s more Jiya than Rufus.”

  
John nodded his head in understanding. Jiya didn’t really seem the type that needed a ring to prove that she loved someone and he knew it. Rufus on the other hand a bit more traditional, but always seemed to make an exception for Jiya. The perfect couple, in John’s opinion. Other than Lucy and Garcia of course.

  
It got quiet for a moment. John was thinking of something to say, to explain his disappearance from his friends lives, but couldn’t think of anything coherent. How could he properly explain that he just needed to leave? That he couldn’t be around anybody after…After Helen’s funeral. It was hard to think about, even five years later, but John knew he couldn’t run from his past forever.

  
Garcia on the other hand was just taking his friend in, hoping he wasn’t dreaming. The last time he had seen him it was about two months after Helen was laid to rest. John had been extremely drunk and had tackled Garcia with such force he broke a rib. But now…Now he looked great. His hair was shorter and he had some scruff, but Garcia could only recall one time he was scruff free and that had been when he married Helen. He remembered how scared he was when his friend had just vanished. But he understood. He wasn’t even upset.

  
“Garcia, about that night-“

  
“Don’t worry about it.”

  
“I broke your rib.”

  
“And it hurt like a bitch…But I assure you, it’s okay.” He just smiled softy at his friend, hoping he could forgive himself. It wasn’t entirely his fault, given how Garcia had technically smacked him awake.

  
“You shouldn’t forgive me so easily. I was horrible to you; to everyone before I left.” John sounded remorseful and tired. Like he has been carrying the guilt of how he treated them around the entire five years he’s been gone.

  
Garcia shook his head and moved to sit on the coffee table in front of his old friend and leaned closer to his face. “Listen to me. _No one_ blames you. You lost your wife in a _horrible_ accident. Everyone understood. Even when you left without a word to anyone, we all understood. Worried us half to death, truth be told, but we got it. Stop feeling guilty. Okay?” John took a deep breath and cleared his throat, he didn’t answer, but he nodded his head. “Good. Besides, Lucy’s probably gonna hit you anyway. You broke my rib three weeks before our wedding.”

  
Garcia smiled when John let out a loud laugh and watched him sink into the cushions of the couch. “That’s actually the real reason I disappeared. I couldn’t face Lucy knowing I broke her precious Croatian.”

  
“Understandable, really. She actually yelled at _me_. Saying I shouldn’t have provoked you. It turned out ok, though, she still married me.” He rolled his eyes, but smiled at his wife’s antics.

  
“Lord knows, why…Was it a nice wedding?” John was staring down at his hands, too afraid to look up.

  
“After we pushed it back a month we ended up getting the venue Lucy wanted from the beginning. It was the perfect wedding. Well…almost perfect.” John gave him a confused look so Garcia elaborated, “My best man never showed up. We waited an extra hour, just in case, but he never showed.”

  
John looked guilty once again and tried to smile, but it failed, “Sorry about that. I meant to, I swear…I just…I couldn’t. Your wedding day was all Helen would talk about. She was so happy for you two. I couldn’t go without her.” John looked on the verge of tears but he blinked them away.

  
“I get it. I wished you came to me, but I get it. I needed to be around people after Lorena, and you needed to be alone. Everyone grieves differently.” Garcia patted John’s knee before he cleared his throat. “I’m just happy you’re here.”

  
“Me too.” John smiled softly before taking deep breath, “Who’d you replace me with?”

  
“Dave. Amy was upset about the change, but she handled it like an adult.” Garcia said in a serious manner but the smile that was forming derailed his attempts.

  
“Meaning she pouted the entire time because her…what was it she use to call me? Her favorite sex on a stick didn’t show up?” John laughed when Garcia confirmed his assumption. Amy had flirted with him from the moment they met, but when she found out he was married she asked Helen for permission to continue. She had been 15 at the time.

  
“She’d engaged to Dave now. They hit it off at the wedding.”

  
John’s eyes almost popped out of his face in shock, “She is a child, Garcia. She shouldn’t be getting married! Especially to _Dave Baumgardner._”

  
Garcia rolled his eyes, “She’s 28, John. She can marry whoever she wants. Besides, Dave’s not how he use to be.” His voice had gone soft by the time he was finished and John began to worry about his meaning, but he didn’t have to wait long for his friend to fill him in. “I became Dave’s handler after you left the NSA. It was a good fit. Got through mostly every assignment without any problems for a whole year. We had just finished a two month assignment in Sudan when we got orders to intercept some intel from a compound not too far our location. Dave _insisted_ he go alone. Convinced me that he’d be _fine_ and that he could _handle it._ I let him go.

  
The compound was supposed to be damn near empty. It was just gonna be a simple grab and run. Two hours tops…The uh, the compound was _very heavily_ guarded and filled with people. We found Dave half dead three weeks later in Chad. He never blamed me but… I resigned after that.”

  
John was quiet for a long moment. He could tell Garcia was upset with himself, but didn’t really know what to say. He settled on, “Three weeks?” At Garcia’s nod he continued, “What did they do to him?”

  
The younger man shrugged, “Beat him. Drugged him. I only know what I seen. Dave doesn’t talk about it, at least not to me.”

  
John nodded in understanding. “I’m surprised the NSA allowed you to retrieve him.”

  
“They didn’t. They ordered me stateside. I didn’t go.”

  
John looked pleasantly surprised by that, “You? Garcia ‘By The Book’ Flynn? Disobeyed a direct order? I’m shocked!”

  
Garcia rolled his eyes and flashed a smile. “Yeah, well, I was _your_ handler for eight years. Some insubordination was bound to rub off. Besides, there was no way in hell I was returning home and explaining to Amy why Dave wasn’t with me. I was bringing that boy home no matter what.”

  
John reached out and squeezed Garcia’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Garcia. You saved Dave’s life. If I’m not allowed to feel guilty about how I treated you guys, then you’re not allowed to beat yourself up about something you literally could not control. Yeah?”

  
Garcia gave a reluctant “…Yeah.”

  
“Where do you work now? If not at the NSA?” John was desperate for a change of topic. Hopefully this was a safe one.

  
“Remember, Conner Mason?”

  
“That tech billionaire that Jiya and Rufus work for?”

  
“Yeah. I’m part of his personal security detail. Nothing too exciting, honestly.” He shrugged. He really did enjoy his new job and the perks that came with it.

  
“I’m sure Lucy loves having you around all the time now.”

  
“It’s a perk.”

  
The conversation seemed to stop there and they sat in comfortable silence for a while. John looked around the living room and noticed a wedding picture on top of the mantle and smiled at it. He really wished he had attended his friends wedding. But it’s not like he had a time machine. He’s sure he could watch the wedding video.

  
“Where are you staying?”

  
Garcia interrupted his train of thought and it took him a moment to respond. “Umm. Hotel, maybe. I only just got in. I had to stop by before I did anything else.”

  
“You’re staying here.” Garcia stated.

  
“No, a hotel would be fine-“

  
“I insist. Stay.”

  
John had no problem with staying in a hotel for a few nights, maybe even renting an apartment, but he knew Garcia. He would only get more stubborn and make him stay. He had to give in. Not that he really wanted to argue against staying with friends. “…Would Lucy be ok with me staying?”

  
“Sure. I don’t see why she would have a problem with it. She should be here in an hour. You can ask her yourself.” Garcia smiled at the thought of seeing Lucy’s face when she see’s John. Helen and Lucy worked at the same university. Helen taught French while Lucy was a history professor. Helen had introduced him to Lucy. He’ll always be grateful about that. “You can take the guest room.”

  
Garcia stood and took a step towards the hallway where all the extra sheets were. “Grab your things, I’ll get the room set up.”

  
“Sure. Oh, that reminds me. I have a sort of belated wedding present for you and the wife.” John walked to the front door as he spoke.

  
“’Sort of’? Garcia questioned.

  
“Half belated gift, half ‘sorry I skipped town without telling you’ gift.”

  
Garcia just smiled as he opened the hallway closet, “I’m sure, we’ll love it.”

  
“You better. I can’t exactly return it.”

**********************************************

**********************************************

**********************************************

Lucy walked into the house around 4:30pm and took a deep cleansing breath. The football team had won a game the night before and was going to the state championships. Or something like that. All she knew was that all of her classes contained either hungover or extremely rowdy students. Who schedules a football match for a Wednesday night anyway? Satan. That’s who.

  
All she wanted to do was take a relaxing bath, eat a nice meal, and possibly have sex with her crazy hot husband. Speaking of her husband… “Garcia!”

  
“Kitchen!” She heard his slightly muffled response.

  
After kicking off her flats she followed her nose into the kitchen where something delicious was making something edible. When she got to the kitchen Garcia was facing away from her and she took a moment to appreciate the wonderful specimen that was Garcia Flynn. He turned and smiled brightly at her. “Hey, Draga.”

  
She was about to respond when a noise from the other side of the room drew her attention and her jaw dropped at the source of the noise. “…Garcia…”

  
“Yes, Lucy?” He was still smiling.

  
“Is that…?”

  
“Yes.”

  
“When?”

  
“About an hour before you walked in.”

  
“No.”

  
“Lucy-“

  
“NO!”

  
“Hear me out, please.”

  
“_Garcia_-“

  
“He needs a place to stay.”

  
“I said no, Garcia.”

  
“Lucy, let him stay one night.”

  
“…Where the hell did you even get a _puppy_ from?”

  
“Eh, he was a gift.” Garcia shifted from one foot to the other. Not wanting to tell Lucy about John before he made himself known. “From a friend.”

  
Lucy raised a brow at his phrasing and sighed, “You stole him, didn’t you? You stole a…What _is_ he?”

  
Garcia moved around the island and quickly rushed over to where the little ball of white fluff was chewing on a toy and picked him up to show Lucy. “This very good boy is a German Shepard. Pet him, he’s so soft!”

  
“He’s all white. I thought German Shepard’s were red and black or tan.” She reached out and petted the puppy and had to admit he was pretty soft. And cute.

  
“They can be all white sometimes if the parents have the right genes for it. Isn’t he cute? Don’t you just wanna keep him?”

  
Lucy just rolled her eyes. “You didn’t answer me, did you steal him?”

  
“_I_ didn’t steal him. But his previous owners weren’t very nice to him. He’s only six months, but he’s been through so much horror.” Garcia pulled the pup closer to his face and showered the pooch with kisses.

  
“Unbelievable. I’m your wife and not one kiss ‘hello’, yet the random dog that you ‘didn’t’ steal is receiving all the love.” Lucy huffed in annoyance and Garcia leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips. “I don’t want your pity kiss.” Lucy mumbled.

  
Garcia huffed out a laugh before kissing her again, a little harder. The puppy in his arms started squirming and let out a wine making the couple break apart. The disappointed sigh that left Lucy had Garcia chuckling as he bent to place the pup on the ground. As it walked away it moved with a very noticeable limp. Lucy gave Garcia a concerned look and he just shook his head a little. Making very clear how horrible the puppies last owners were.

  
“Garcia, the last time we had a dog, it got loose and ran away. You cried yourself to sleep for four months.” Lucy said with her hand on his chest. He pouted and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She gave a deep sigh before looking back at the puppy, “…What are we going to name him?”

  
A smile broke across Garcia’s face and he leaned down to give Lucy a deep kiss. Lucy giggled as Garcia placed kisses all over her face. Garcia listed off potential dog names between every kiss and giggling along with Lucy. Unbeknownst to them, they had an audience.

  
John had been upstairs showering. He was just finishing up dressing when he heard Lucy’s car in the driveway. He watched her walk into the house and took several moments to formulate a greeting. Lucy had been Helen’s best friend and they were almost always together especially after she started dating Garcia. Lucy had a certain…_something_ that made everyone love her and John was no exception. Walking away from all the people he loved was painful, but it was something he had to do in order to get better.

  
He just hoped Lucy would understand.

  
He watched them for several more seconds, just basking in their happiness before he announced his presents. “How about Apollo?” He watched as Lucy tensed in Garcia’s arms before looking in his direction with a gasp.  
“Apollo is a good name. Strong name. Apollo it is.” Garcia acknowledged before putting all his attention on his wife.

  
“Hi, Lucy.” She looked back at her husband with a confused and shocked look. He just nodded with a smile and turned her to face John. He was concerned when he first arrived her that he’d get punched by Garcia, but that didn’t happen. He was also convinced that Lucy was going to yell at him. Her silence is much more nerve wracking.

  
Finally after many heart stopping seconds she finally cleared her throat. “Did _you_ steal the dog?”

  
Her question stumped him for a moment. That’s _not_ what he expected, but he answered. “Yes. From some very bad people a couple of weeks ago.”

  
She took a few steps forwards, still holding on to Garcia, and reached out to him. He got the hint and walked closer, taking her hand in his. She smiled up at him and from the corner of his eye he seen Garcia's shoulders sag in relief. “You’re really here.” She said softly. He gave her a shy smile in return.

  
She let go of Garcia and placed her hand on John’s cheek. “I’ve missed you, Lucy.”

  
She gave a bright smile before her hand reared back and snapped forward, slapping him across the face. _Hard_. Garcia flinched next to her, but didn’t otherwise move. “_Then you shouldn’t have left, John_.” Lucy said through clenched teeth. “Five years. FIVE YEARS! We thought you were _dead_. You _never_ called. Not _once_.”

  
John lowered his head. His face hurt, but he knew he deserved the reprimand. He noticed Apollo shaking a little under the table. Garcia must have noticed as well because he quietly made his way to the small pup and lifted him into his arms.

  
“For _five years_ I thought we’d get a phone call telling us you died, do you have _any idea_ what your leaving _did_? We had to tell Iris, _Iris_, that you went to save the world. Cause the truth was we didn’t know. You leaving was like losing Helen all over again, my two best friends. You didn’t even come to my wedding, you _asshole_!” Lucy began smacking John’s chest and when that wasn’t satisfying enough she started pounding on it with her fist.

  
John let her hit him. It didn’t hurt, much. He watched tears fall from her eyes and small sobs escape her. That hurts. Watching her cry was heartbreaking and he wished he could say the right thing to make her smile again, but he knew she needed to do this. She just kept hitting him and crying, “_WHY?_”

  
Why _did_ he leave? Could he have stayed and learned to live with the Helen shaped hole in his chest?...No. He couldn’t have. After he left he spiraled more into depression and drank himself to sleep every night for almost two years. He got into bar fights just because he could. He was broken and nothing could make him feel whole again. Then the accident happened.

  
He had gotten kicked out of another bar in another city and wandered into the street. He never saw the car and the driver didn’t see him. He swore he seen Helen in the lights before he got hit. When he woke up in the hospital a week later, he was alone. None of his friends knew where he was and he realized that he couldn’t live like that any more. He was missing something, but he wouldn’t get whatever it was from a bottle. He wanted to go home, but he couldn’t do that. Not in the state he was in. So he worked on getting better.

  
And he did.

  
Now here he was getting beat on his chest by a crying woman half his size. But he came back for this woman and the man standing behind her. And the people that will be arriving for dinner in just over an hour. His friends. The only people besides him that knew him. The only people that knew Helen.

  
Lucy suddenly stopped hitting him and stared at his chest, her face red and splotchy from crying. “_Well_? Do you have _anything_ to say?” Her voice cracked as she spoke and his heartbroken just a little more for the pain he caused everyone when he left.

  
“I’m sorry.” He had nothing, but apologies to give and he hoped that was enough. Lucy just leaned her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He could feel her shaking and her tears soaked his tshirt. “Are you still mad at me?”

  
“I’ll be mad later. I’m just happy you’re alive.” She sniffled and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He pulled her closer as a few tears slipped down his face. “Are you staying for dinner?”

  
“I invited him to stay the night.” Garcia informed her as he gently swayed with the pup in his arms.

  
She hummed in response, but it came out broken since she’d been crying. “Are you, staying?”

  
“Do you…do you want me to stay?” He asked hesitantly.

  
Lucy wiped her tears and looked up at him. “Of course I do. You’re family. You can stay as long as you like.”

  
She laid her head back on his chest and hugged him harder. As he adjusted his arms around her he looked at Garcia, who was smiling at the scene before him with tears in his eyes and Apollo tucked into his arm. Family. That’s what he came back for. He knew he had a few more of these to get through before he finally let go of all the guilt he had about abandoning his family. But one step at a time. For now, he was home.

  
She said he could stay.

  
So he did. 


	2. Tree House Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John makes a decision and reunites with the rest of the family.

It had been two weeks since John had arrived on their doorstep with a puppy asking for forgiveness. Two weeks of adjusting to having him back in their lives. Two weeks of Garcia waking up early just to make sure he was still there and his arrival wasn’t just a dream. Two weeks of Lucy reminiscing with her head on his shoulder, his arm caught between her hands so he didn’t run off again. Two weeks of Iris giving him her strongest hugs because she was afraid he wouldn’t be around once she returned from school. Two weeks of Rufus and Jiya stopping by for dinner, demanding that he go work security at Mason Industries, assuring that he stays.

  
Two weeks of everyone walking on eggshells around him. Everyone too afraid that they’d say the wrong thing and he’d leave again. Iris had cried when she seen him and made him promise never to leave again, he agreed, but that didn’t convince her. He was sure that Jiya and Rufus still couldn’t believe he was there, if their staring from across the table was any indication. Apollo was the only one that seemed to not care about his presence as the small pup would immediately run to Garcia whenever he was home.

  
Two weeks and he had yet to see Amy or Dave. Garcia had explained that the two of them had take an extended vacation and wouldn’t be back for sometime. But that was two weeks ago and their flight lands in an hour. John had asked everyone to keep his arrival from the couple a secret because he wanted to surprise them. He hoped it would be a good surprise.

  
He was currently sitting on the couch with Apollo on his lap. One hour and he’d be face to face with Amy and Dave, the last two members of his family. He watched the clock on top of the mantle slowly ticking down. Just 58 minutes now.

  
“A watched pot never boils.”

  
John turned his head towards Garcia, who was casually going through the days mail. “I never liked that expression.”

  
Garcia hummed and made his way into the room. Apollo eyed him until he sat down before stretching and making his way over to him. “How about, a penny for your thoughts?”

  
John watched as Garcia picked up the small pup and cradled him close to his chest. “You spoil him too much.”

  
“You’re just jealous I don’t cuddle with you.” John grunted in response as he turned back to the clock. “Seriously, John. Time is not going to move faster simply because you’re glaring at a clock. Amy and Dave will get here when they get here.”

  
“They should get here _faster_.” He pouted, crossing his arms, causing Garcia to chuckle at him.

  
“If you were in such a hurry to see them, then you’d have gone with Lucy and Iris to pick them up at the airport.”

  
“Why didn’t _you_ go with them?”

  
“Rufus and Jiya are at work and someone had to make sure you didn’t run off again.” John gave him a look, but he shrugged it off. “You’ve been back two weeks, John. Everyone is afraid you might run off again and it’s not like you’ve tried to convince us otherwise.”

  
“What will it take to convince you that I’m here for good?”

  
Garcia looked down at Apollo as he thought how best to phrase his reply without it coming out too harsh. “Well…Getting your own place could be a start.”

  
John shifted his gaze from his friend back to the clock, “Tired of me living here already?”

  
“When you first arrived you said being back was going to be permanent, yet you refuse to go house hunting with Lucy. Staying here doesn’t erase our fear that you’re going to abandon us again. In fact it does the opposite. I love you, John and I do not want you to leave. But you can’t stay in our small guestroom forever.” Garcia watched as John just shifted more towards the couch. He either didn’t want to have this conversation at all or he tuned him out.

  
After a few moments of silence Garcia sighs. Clearly annoyed at his friend for ignoring him, he stands and places Apollo on the floor. “John, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, but if you break my little girls heart again? You better pray that I don’t find you.”

  
John scoffed, extremely amused by the other mans words. “If I was to leave again, what makes you think you’d find me? You couldn’t before.”

  
“I didn’t try before.”

  
With that Garcia walked out of the room, Apollo following happily behind him. John huffed and glanced back at the clock. 45 minutes. Standing up with a sigh John walked towards the kitchen, where Garcia was checking on dinner. Apollo was patiently sitting in a chair at the small table in the corner. He cleared his throat, but Garcia kept his back to him. “I don’t want to hurt Iris. Or Lucy, you, or anyone. I-I just…” He trailed off and sighed again, not really knowing how to put his feelings into words. “I’m gonna take a walk out back. Clear my head.”

  
Garcia turned to watch him walk out the back door. The older man stood on the porch for a moment before he glanced back. They locked eyes for a moment as John slowly lifted his hand and flipped him off. Garcia chuckled, rolling his eyes. John continued on his way so Garcia turned towards Apollo saying, “Pratiti." And nodded towards John.

  
Apollo cocked his head to the side, one ear folding down in his confusion. Garcia had been trying to teach him all types of command words in Croatian. Teaching him how to follow people on command was proving most difficult. He had only accomplished getting the pooch to sit at the kitchen table and Iris had taught him to run to her treehouse whenever they played. “Princess Fort.” The four month old pup took off running through the doggy door.

*************************************

*************************************

*************************************

John was walking past the soccer goal when Apollo zipped past him and into the woods. He glanced back at the window, but didn’t see Garcia. Without seeing him he knew that his friend had sent the dog to keep him company. He was grateful for the gesture, but even happier to know that his old friend wasn’t angry with him. He heard Apollo barking further in and decided that he would detour into the surrounding woods to find him. He had a feeling he knew where the pup had gone.

  
It didn’t take him long to confirm his suspicions when he found Apollo waiting at a pole with an arrow that pointed at a tree house. Iris had named it The Princess Fort. He walked towards the base it and searched for the string that lowered the stairs. Once he had accomplished that he beckoned Apollo to follow as he made his way up. The structure was the only thing Iris had wanted when she found out that her new house had the woods just beyond her yard. He remembered when he built it.

  
In the two weeks he had been back, this was his first time stepping into the treehouse that he spent two months building. Everyone was too focused on the main house to pay much attention to the small request that Iris had made. Well, that is to say everyone but Helen. She had demanded that everyone take two hours a day from working on the main house to work on this. He remembered how she had glared at anyone that tried to argue with her, stating that if it was important to Iris then it was important to the family. It had taken them three weeks.

  
John looked at the closed door and read the carvings on the wood. Everyone had carved their names into it just before he and Garcia had installed it. He traced Helen’s name with a smile. They were so happy when it was finally completed that they had all piled into the treehouse and camped in it for the night. Seven adults and one very happy child.

  
The last time he was in here, was five years ago. He was happy the last time he was in here. He could vividly recall Helen’s laugh as she and Lucy tickled Iris. Garcia and Rufus were off to the side checking the lights they had installed and Jiya was sitting on the steps making a phone call when Amy had plopped down into the beanbag chair next to him. She seemed to be taking it all in before she started talking.

  
_“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”_

  
_“Oh?”_

  
_“This treehouse was built out of love. By a group of people that love each other. Being in here is like being surrounded by love.”_

  
_“That’s a nice way to look at it.”_

  
_“We should take a picture!”_

  
John walked to the back of the structure where a bunch of framed photographs hung. Out of all the pictures only one of them had a bright yellow frame, so John lifted that one off of the wall and smiled at it. It was the picture Amy took the day they had completed the treehouse. Garcia was sitting on the stairs with Lucy between his legs and Iris between hers. On the right side, leaning against the railing for the stairs were Rufus and Jiya, holding a sign that said ‘Princess Iris’s Treehouse Fort’. On the left side Helen was wrapped in his arms and Amy was sitting cross-legged in front of them holding up a peace sign. Everyone was smiling.  
He stared at the picture for a few moments more before returning it to it’s home. He looked at all the other pictures: One was of Lorena holding a 6 month old Iris. Another was of Garcia and Lucy dancing with Iris at their wedding. Rufus and Jiya playing chess. Iris winning an award. Dave giving Amy a piggyback ride. All the girls, including Helen, carving pumpkins. Lorena, Garcia, Helen, and him sitting together and laughing. Lucy and Garcia sleeping with a two year old Iris between them. Iris and her best friend Olivia at the beach. He, Helen, and Amy eating ice-cream. Dave, Rufus, and Garcia flexing. A photo from his wedding.

  
He stopped when he came across that one. He lifted it and began to tear up as he remembered how happy he was that day. How everything seemed to just melt away whenever he looked at his wife. He traced Helen’s face as a few tears landed on the photo. He missed her _so much_. He felt almost guilty for being back and enjoying himself without Helen by his side to share it with. It was why he had been so reluctant to find a place of his own. The memory of her hurts and all he wanted to do was drown himself in a bottle…

  
_No_, He thinks as he returns the photo. He can’t fall back on bad habits. He refuses to relapse. Helen would want him to stay sober. Helen would also want him to stay, but he wasn’t sure if it was something _he_ wanted. His family was here, sure, but had he let too much time pass? Could he really be apart of this family again? Everyone was afraid that he’d disappear and if he was honest with himself, so was he.

  
Returning had been something he wanted to do. He wanted to see his friends. Wanted to see Iris. He actually expected everyone to have negative feelings regarding his return, not once did he think they’d push all that aside and welcome him back like nothing had happened. He had planned on being turned away and having to grovel for forgiveness, but no. A hug and reassurance that he’d still be around in the morning was all they needed. It throw him off course, given how he had no plan for positive reactions.

  
“Uncle John?”

  
John yelped and held his hand over his chest. After taking a deep breath he looked towards the entrance where Iris was standing with Apollo in her arms. “Are you trying to kill me?”

  
“Sorry.” She looked anything but. Her smiled took over her whole face and she reminded John of Lorena in that moment. “I see you found my memory wall.” She walked further into the treehouse and placed the small pup on a beanbag chair as she stood next to him.

  
“Memory wall, huh?”

  
“Yeah! Some of my favorite memories are on here or in this box.” She rushed to the other side of the room, where a chest was, reached inside and pulled out a metal box. She walked back and handed it to him, urging him to look inside.

  
He sat on the cot that was covered in pink and green fluffy pillows. He opened the box and lifted a small handful of pictures out. He laughed as he looked through them. “If I recall correctly you were two years away from being born when your parents got married, so how can this be a memory?”

  
“I was there in spirit. Obviously.” Iris gave him a smirk as she watched him go through her photos.

  
He rolled his eyes at her response. She had inherited Garcia’s snarky attitude. Just what the world needed, another smartass Flynn sassing people. He set his attention back on the box that was almost overflowing with pictures. Most of them were family photos, school friends, or certain events that a science fair that she had won a ribbon for. Small descriptions of the photos were written on the back. It was a nice collection of memories that she had hidden away, John had to admit.

  
“Amy and Dave are in the house. They still don’t know that you’re here.” Iris spoke up, pulling him from his thoughts.

  
“You didn’t tell them on the ride back?” He was sure she or Lucy would have wanted to warn the young couple of his return.

  
“Mom didn’t want to tell them just in case…” She suddenly clamped her mouth shut and looked intently at her shoes.

  
John gave a heavy sigh and placed the pictures back in the box before putting it aside. “In case I wasn’t here?” Iris blushed as she bit her lip, clearly not wanting to rat on Lucy, but confirming his theory with a slow nod. “I’m not mad, Iris.”

  
Iris nodded again before she looked up at him a little nervous. He wondered what that was about as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish a few times before looking back down at her shoes. “A-are you… I won’t be upset if you left again…” John’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline as he looked at his God-daughter. His heart broke a little as she fumbled with her words. “I-I mean, I w-would understand.”

  
“I don’t think you would.” John muttered as he looked at the teenager next to him. He had wanted to see her so bad when he had returned. She looked so much like Lorena that it almost hurt to look at her, he could only imagine what Garcia felt whenever he looked at his daughter.

  
“I don’t think she’d be mad if you left…”

  
“Your mom?”

  
“…No, Aunt Helen.” Now it was John’s turn to mimic a fish. He hadn’t expected that _at all_. “I know I’m a kid, but I notice things.”

  
“L-like what?”

  
“Like how you want to be alone sometimes, but you always stay in a room where someone is so we don’t worry that you’ve run off again. Or how it hurts you to talk about Aunt Helen sometimes. I also noticed that you don’t sleep too much, I’ve seen you outside late at night playing with the soccer ball. Or how you pretend to drink the beers that dad gives you. Why don’t you drink them?”

  
John just stared at her. She was _extremely_ observant. He hadn’t known that he had an audience whenever he got up and went outside. He also hadn’t realized that he was being so obvious with his attempts at pretending to drink…But Garcia hadn’t called him out on the wasted beers, so maybe the older Flynn had yet to notice. Iris Flynn an NSA Agent in the making.

  
“Uncle John?” John shook his head and looked back at Iris. “Are you an alcoholic?”

  
It wasn’t that he was hiding it from them. He would admit it if they asked, but he didn’t want to see the disappointment in anyone’s eyes. He had become the very thing that took Helen away from him. He had never lied to Iris before and he saw no real way to avoid answering, “Yes.”

  
Iris looked shocked, whether it was from him actually answering or the answer it’s self he wasn’t sure. She took a deep breath before continuing her interrogation. “Are you getting help? Going to meetings?”

  
Again, he saw no reason to lie, “Yes.”

  
Her voice was soft as she asked her next question, “Did you only come back because forgiveness is one of the steps?”

  
He immediately wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. “You listen to me. The only reason I came back, was because I miss you. You, your dad, your mom, Amy, _everyone_. I didn’t come back because some program told me too. I came back because I missed my little wild flower and I couldn’t go a second more without seeing you.”

  
Iris had tears streaming down her face as she hugged him back and a few had spilled from his eyes as well. How badly had he fucked up that this precious little girl thought he came back for nothing more than forgiveness. He came back for his family and that was it. He came back because he missed the people he loved. He came back because he missed _being_ loved.

  
John dropped a kiss on the crown of her head before he rested his cheek on her head. “I’m gonna stay to prove it to you. I’ll even move into this tree house if I have to. I came back because I’m pretty useless without you all in my life.”

**************************

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Garcia glanced at his watch before looking out the window for what felt like the hundredth time. _Where are they?_ He thought as he continued to stare out. He had sent Iris to track John down almost an hour ago. _If he left so help me God…_

  
“Earth to Garcia!” Amy said as she punched his arm, causing him to wince in pain.

  
“Ow! _Really_?”

  
“You’ve been staring out that window and ignoring me and my handsome fiancée for the better part of an hour. Iris is at her Princess Fort, she’ll be fine.” Amy rolled her eyes and leaned further into Dave.

  
“Sorry…” Garcia said as he rubbed his arm. “We have a new dog, he has a habit of running.” He grouched, while giving Lucy a look.

  
Amy noticed the look and Lucy’s responding nod, but dismissed it. They’d tell her if it was important. “Apollo, right? Iris talked nonstop about the little guy. I hope she finds him.”

  
“Yeah. I wanna meet the new member of the family that has replaced me as cutest person that Iris knows.” Dave joked with a huge smile on his face. He enjoyed the stories that Iris had shared with them about the pup and was looking forward to introducing him to their dog Buster, who was currently laying by his feet. Lucy glanced at her watch and gave Garcia a worried look. This time Dave noticed, but unlike Amy he wasn’t going to let it slide. “Everything ok, Professor?”

  
Lucy forced a smile on her face as she turned to look at Dave, “Yep. Peachy.”

  
Dave and Amy shared a look that showed how little they believed Lucy. So they turned their sights on Garcia. “_Is_ everything ok? You two are acting weird…Are you guys having problems?” Amy asked a little worried about what could have possibly happened during the five weeks she and Dave were traveling.

  
Lucy finally gave a real smile towards the younger couple and spoke softly, “We’re fine. It’s just… We thought we had a surprise for you, but if Iris isn’t back then that means we were wrong…Or right.”

  
Amy and Dave looked very confused by her words, but then the back door opened and a white blur ran in and skidded to a stop in front of Buster, the tri-colored American Foxhound. Buster sat up and looked back at Dave almost as if to ask, ‘What is this?’. Dave just pointed at Apollo and commanded Buster to be nice. So Buster nudged Apollo with his nose and the smaller dog seemed to enjoy that and started jumping around in excitement. “Look at that, already best friends.” Dave laughed as his dog looked very board compared to the younger one.

  
“Won’t be too long before Apollo is fully grown.” John said as he entered behind Iris causing Amy to let out a gasp of surprise. Dave just looked stunned. “Hi.” He waved at the couple.

  
No one moved. Lucy, Garcia, and Iris looked from the couple to John and back again. The two dogs must have sensed the tension as well because they suddenly stopped moving around each other.

  
“So glad this isn’t awkward for anybody.” Iris said sarcastically as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

  
Everyone let out a small, tension breaking laugh. Dave stood up and glanced at Amy before he walked up to John with an extended hand, “It’s good to see you, Wick. It’s been a while.”

  
“Five years.” Amy said in as she crossed her arms. Her voice had an angry tint to it, almost as if she was trying to hide her anger.

  
John shook Dave’s hand. He looked at Amy, but didn’t know what to say. Lucy had the same look on her face when she slapped him, so he knew the anger was bound to boil over. “Bam-Bam. I hear congratulations are in order. You’ll soon be apart of the family.”

  
“Can you even call us your family after you left us?”

  
“Amy-“

  
“No, Dave! You seen what his leaving did to us. Hopeful that every time a phone went off that he was on the other end. Or terrified that we’d get a phone call telling us he died. You know how this family works. We are close. We take care of each other. We _don’t_ leave.” Tears were in Amy’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She was done crying over what John’s leaving did.

  
John looked over at Garcia and Lucy, but they were both looking at the table. Glancing at Iris showed that she was doing the same. Dave, on the other hand, was watching Amy and looked tense, probably not sure what to do. “Amy, I’m-“

  
“I swear to God if you apologize I’m _going to_ slap you.” Amy interrupted with a sneer. John didn’t know what to do so he just stood there. Amy huffed out a sigh and looked him in the eye. “Are you here for good or are you leaving again?”

  
John felt everyone staring at him. A quick look around the room confirmed it. Iris and Lucy had tears in their eyes while Garcia was steeling himself for the answer to come. Dave looked ready to toss him out if it came to that. But he made a promise and he was keeping it. “I’m staying. For good.”

  
Amy looked at her sister and brother-in-law, who both looked unconvinced by his words. “I don’t think anyone here believes you, John.”

  
“You have been _saying that_ for the past two weeks, John. But you haven’t done anything to make what you’ve been saying a reality.” Lucy spoke up as she leaned more into Garcia.  
“I promised Iris. I’m staying. I’ll go house hunting tomorrow, I’ll get a job. I will do anything to convince you I’m not leaving again.”

  
“Move in with us.” Dave said.

  
“What?” John and Amy said as they shifted their gaze to the blonde.

  
“Yeah. We have that small apartment above the garage. He’d have his own space. We planned on renting it out anyway.” Amy gave him a look, his plan didn’t erase the doubt everyone had concerning John leaving. “Come on, babe. We live _across the street_. I believe him when he says he’s staying. Just have a little faith.”

  
John pointed at Dave and gave Garcia and Lucy a look that said ‘Be like him’. Although he had no idea that they lived across the street. This was news to him. Everyone had told him that they lived closed, but he had no idea that it was _that close._ “I don’t mind that.”

“Of course you don’t. You’ve been freeloading for the last two weeks.” Garcia teased with a smirk.

  
“_TWO WEEKS!?!_” Amy screamed. The words seemed to finally sink in. “He’s been here two weeks and NO ONE told me??” Everyone looked guilty about keeping it from her, but she zeroed in on Iris, “Et tu, Brute?”

  
“Hey, I’m just an innocent child in all of this. My parents told me not to tell you, so blame them.” Iris raised her hands in front of her and threw her parents under the bus. No way was she doing down for this.

  
“Amy, focus.” Dave said, “But that is pretty fucked up of you guys.” He looked at Iris and apologized for his language.

  
Iris rolled her eyes, “I can curse in three languages. You’re fine, Dave.”

  
“I told them not to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise.” John was willing to take the blame for this one as it was the truth.

  
“Another strike against you.” Amy answered and John just gave her a ‘_Seriously_’ expression. “_Fine_. He can stay in the garage. Are you going to get him a job as well, David?”

  
“You’re really mad at me right now? I’m doing this for you.”

  
“Who said I wanted him to stay? Maybe I want him gone. We were fine without him.”

  
Everyone was quiet for a moment before John walked around the table and stood in front of Amy. Buster growled at him as he approached, causing Apollo to growl at Buster. John ignored both dogs. “I don’t care what you want. I’m staying. You told me once that we were a group of people that loved each other. I want you to include me in your family again. I want everyone to trust me again. I. Am. Not. Leaving.”

  
He and Amy stared at each other in tense silence for a few moments. He saw the fire leave her eyes a second before she leaped out of her chair and hugged him tight around his torso. “Really? Yelling works?” He asked as he hugged her back just as tight.

  
“Helen would want me to have faith in you.” Her words were muffled, but he heard her.

  
Lucy was Amy’s legal guardian, but John and Helen had always considered the younger Preston to be the daughter they never had. When Garcia had started dating Lucy, they had left both their girls with him and Helen to babysit. Even though Amy was fifteen at the time. Helen and Amy had gotten close fairly quickly as they had the same type of humor. He remembered when Helen had given Amy permission to flirt with him and the both of them took pleasure in making him blush or uncomfortable.

  
He had missed Amy the most and he felt most guilty about leaving her alone to deal with the pain of losing another mother figure. Then to leave entirely? He couldn’t even image how betrayed she must have felt. He was suddenly grateful that she had Dave had entered her life. When he was on the porch he had noticed how in love they were with each other. He was happy for them.

  
“You can work with me.” Dave offered as he watched the two hug. He was definitely not crying. “You remember Karl Strohbeck? He and I own a carpentry company. His wife Jessica is a realtor and helps get us clients.”  
“That sounds good.” John answered as he left go of Amy. Amy did not let go of him. “Um…Amy…”

  
“I’m not letting go.” She said and to prove her point she tightened her hold on him.

  
“Rose said the same thing to Jack. Right before she let his body drop to the bottom of the ocean floor. And she claimed she loved him.” Garcia quipped with a shake of his head.

  
Amy let go of John and rounded on Garcia, “ROSE LOVED JACK, YOU BABOON!”

  
John took a seat next to Iris as Amy and Garcia argued over the _Titanic_. Lucy and Dave throwing their two sense in when they could. He put his arm around Iris and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “Are they always like this?”

  
She smiled up at him with a shrug. “You better get use to it. This is an everyday type of argument.”

  
“Really?”

  
“Yeah. This family is crazy. You sure you want back in?”

  
John looked from Iris to the other members of his family. Lucy and Garcia were wrapped around one another. Dave was standing against the sink with a box of crackers in his hand. Amy was practically on top of the table arguing her side as she counted off on her fingers. Buster was sitting next to the table watching Apollo hop around in excitement. Everyone had a smile on their face. He looked back at Iris with a smile on his. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos fill me with joy.


End file.
